It’s been a minute since the last entry in Bombstrikes Funk N Beats compilation series – two years to be precise – but even if the label does sometimes put out no volumes for a year or two, they certainly make up for it in others by putting out more than one. Last year saw two entries from Jim Sharp and X-Ray Ted, while 2018 holds the record for the most to date with no fewer than three volumes dropping. Which brings us to now, not even at the end of 2023’s first quarter and here’s Funk N Beats Vol. 10 helmed by the mighty Boca 45. The Bristol DJ is famed for his eclectic sets in which dusty vintage funk goes up against phat boom-bap hip-hop, party breakbeats, psychedelia, reggae and the odd curveball – which gives you some idea of the content here. But of course, as with the other sets in the series, the tacit Bombstrikes guidelines also seem to apply i.e. ‘something old, something new, something of yours, something of ours, something big, something rare.’ Unsurprisingly, if you’ve ever experienced a Boca set, he delivers on all fronts.
Among the Bombstrikes cuts featured you get Boca’s very own brand new 45 remixing Nat Tate’s version of pop house monster hit Freed From Desire and X-Ray Ted’s recent slice of pneumatic funky breaks Doin’ My Thing. The old is perhaps best represented by Bronx Dogs’ huge 1999 mambo/ big beat cut Mixed Blood which bangs no less hard now than it did nearly a quarter of a century ago when it came out on 12″. On a rareness tip, our man includes Space Invadas’ 2010 vinyl 7″ Done It Again featuring Steve Spacek on vocals which constructs an entirely new cut out of The Barrons’ Making It Better and Moneyshot’s excellent Back Pumps – the appearance of which here will hopefully prompt calls for it to appear on 45, finally. Besides that and the Bronx Dogs cut, the best of the breaks can probably be found with Djar One’s uptempo Lebron Brothers edit Dance Dance. Amongst the hip-hop meanwhile, it’s hard to beat Moneyshot’s remix of Boca’s own Emskee and DJ Woody-featuring 45s or another monkey favourite – Krafty Kuts & Chali 2Na’s epic Hands High. Meanwhile, our man gets in a few surprises too. Western Roots’ 2003 reggae banger Bogus Buddy – and, best of all, the inclusion of JP Bimeni & The Black Belts’ raw funk version of soul standard Keep On Running. Running indeed. Banging, even!
(Out now on Bombstrikes)